Power pipe tongs



Dec. 25, 1923. Lf

, E. MccLoUD ET AL POWER PIPE TONGS Filed Dec. v. `1922 Patented Dec.25, i923..

NET@ FFMC.,

init@ f EDWARD LORD MCCLOUD, OF ESPARIO, AND PsJlRCK KERW'N, OFMIANCHETER, CALIFORNIA.

POWER PPE TONGS.

Application led December respectively, in the counties of Yolo andVMendocino, State or" California, have invented a new and use'fui lowerPipe Tongs,

of which the following is a specification 1n such tuli and clear termsas will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

This invention relates to a power pipe.

toi-lgs, and its object is to provide means whereby the engineer ordrill-man may operate the tongs ata distance therefrom to either unscrewor screw together two sections ot pipe.

@ne object of the invention is to provide means whereby the tongs may beadjusted to release and engage the pipe with a very small amount ot'slack motion thereby increasing the operating efficiency of the tongs.

i-nother object of the invention is to provide a torni ot latch iforconnecting` the tongs together, which will enable the tongs'to be veryquickly applied or removed trom the c Je, the latch being operated at adistance 'from the tongs by means of rope or small cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the tongsmay be used on different sizes oi pipe bushings for that purpose being;`used to increase or diminish the opening between the jaws of the tongsto accommodate different sizes ot pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide means tor holding a jaw inthe proper position with respect to the other knife edge bearings beingused to prevent that jaw from twisting with respect to the second jaw,and also to insure holding` the latch tight.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

lin embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich the same reference numeral is applied to the same portionthroughout, but we are aware that there may be modifications thereof.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete tongs ready to be applied to apipe,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tongs looking from the top of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the 7, 1822. seriaino. 605,370.

bushings used t change the size of the tongs opening, and y i Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the latch for connecting the tongs jaws together.

The numeral 1 indicates a lever with a series of holes therein forconnecting it to suitable supporting and operating cable. |Two of theholes in the lever are provided with pins 2 and 3 which connect saidlever to the semicircular tong jaws 4 and 5.

At the opposite side troni the pivot points, one of these tong jaws hasa notch to receive a knife edge 6 on the tongs jaw 4.

The jaw carries a latch 7 which has a hook 8 'to engage a shoulder onthe end o1e the tong jaw 4. This latch also has a handle 9 to which arope or cable 10 is attached which extends away from the tongs to anysuitable place of operation by the drill-man or engineer.

Pins` 12 and 13 are connected to the tong jaws for enabling the pipe manto rapidly engage the tong` jaws with a Jfresh length of pipe whennecessary. Two links 14 and 15 connect the jaw 5 with the operatinglever 1. The link V15 has a lug 16 thereon which projects into theoperating plane ot the lever 1, and a set-screw 1'? passing through saidlug serves to increase and diminish the movement required of the lever 1to engage or disengage the tong jaws from the pipe. Tf the set-screw isin the position shown in Fig. 1, the lever 1 will have considerablemovement, but if it is screwed out slightly the lever will have verymuch less movement before it releases the` tongs from the pipe on thebackward movement.

Tn order to provide for applying the same tongs to pipe of diierentsizes, bushings 18 are used which have a lug on the outside thereof to tinto recesses in the jaws 4 and 5.

Screws 19 and 20 serve tohold the bushings in place.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that such tongs, asare here described, are used in connection with the driller of deep oilor water wells where the pipes will be from 6 to 16 in diameter and thetongs themselves weigh several hundred pounds, so that they must besupported by a cable or rod and must be operated by power.

When the tongs has been engaged with pipe, the latch is placed in theposition shown in Fig. l, the spring` 22 serving to hold it in thatposition. The well driller or engineer then operates the engine toeither screw 4up the pipe or to unscrew it as the case may 'be7 and whenhe gets through with that particular operation, releases the tongs bypulling` on the cable 10. At this saine time, the tongs will be pulledaway from the pipe and other operations will be free to take placewithout interference from the tongs.

Vhat we claim is as follows, but various modiications may be made in theconstruction shown in the drawings and above particularly describedform, within the purview ci our invention.

A power pipe tongsV of the class described comprising an operatinghandle, a jaw pivot'ally mounted thereonhavinga knife bearing at itsouter end, a second jaw resting against said knife bearing, a Hspringlatch for holding` the 'two'jawsl together adjacent said knife bearing,a link connecting the second jaw to the handle to enable the jaws to betightened upon a pipe to turn it and a lug carried by ,said link havingan adjustable bolt to enable the jaws to be quickly loosened when thehandle is turned in the proper direction. j

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. 4

'EDWARD LORD MGCLOUD. PATRICK KERWIN.

